Six Sokkla Stories
by dove1593
Summary: What would happen if Azula joined GAang? What wouldn't? Sokkla.
1. Alone

**_Alone_**

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_, or any of these characters. sob

* * *

She came alone.

The fact that she had shown up at their campsite tired, hungry, empty-handed, and all alone surprised them. Her detailed story of guilt and a change of heart surprised them more. But what topped it all off was the realness in her eyes; her beautiful, golden eyes. The guilt, the fear, it sparkled all too real and convinced even Toph that Azula had changed.

For days she watched Katara and Toph train the Avatar (she soon learned his name was Aang), and anytime that scar on his back showed, the guilt came back. After only a short time, she made an offer to teach Aang firebending; and he accepted. But they didn't work for more than two days before…

A shrill, ear-splitting cry broke the peace and quiet of the night. Azula sat straight up, breathing in short, shaky pants. When her new friends started showing up, her frightened shallow breathing turned into a coughing fit she couldn't stop. Katara knelt down next to her and pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Azula, what's wrong?" she asked, then her eyes widened. "Oh my…you are burning up."

Azula scarcely heard what the waterbender was saying, but understood enough to know that it wasn't good. Katara had placed a hand on her shoulder and was asking she lie down. She continued to cough but followed instruction, and lay down. Then Katara looked to the group and started giving orders.

"Sokka, get a bucket of water from the stream and make sure it's cold. Aang, get a fire going so we can see. Toph, if you can, find a blanket."

The three split up to follow their orders and soon, an orange fire was glowing nearby, Azula had an extra blanket, and Katara was nagging Sokka about whether or not the water was cold. After a few minutes, Katara finally believed him and gave the poor princess a drink. By then, Azula had stopped coughing and was beginning to settle down. When Katara was convinced she would sleep through the rest of the night, she let her friends go.

"Sokka, wait," she said.

Sokka waited.

"Could you stay with her tonight?"

He thought about it. Certainly he needed sleep too; he shouldn't stay up all night watching over a sick girl, should he? He was about to reject when he glanced at her. She appeared so helpless and tired. Even though her eyes were closed, and she was mostly asleep, he thought she looked scared.

"I'll stay," he agreed.

His sister smiled thankfully and got up to go back to bed. Sokka sighed and sat down next to Azula. It was quiet except for the crackling fire, and the silence got to him quickly. After a couple minutes, he picked up her hand as an attempt of comfort.

"Sokka,"

He jumped; he didn't realize she was still awake.

She must've noticed since she smiled. But the smile quickly faded as she continued, "Sokka, I'm afraid."

After all they'd been through, all the fighting, the destruction, and not to mention, the Avatar-killing and Earth Kingdom-falling, it didn't seem possible that Azula could be afraid. Even after their peace and her attitude change, it was unusual that she could be, dare he say it, _afraid_. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed possible, though. She was human; after all, she must feel fear at some point. But why would she have a reason to be afraid at that moment?

"What's wrong?" He at last said.

"They're looking for me," she whispered. "I know it."

"Who's looking for you?"

"My family, my friends, the Fire Nation."

She probably knew that would happen going into the whole thing, but it certainly hadn't dawned on Sokka. It made sense, and since their princess was missing, it'd take attention away from Aang. He started to admire her courage for leaving anyway, even if she was scared sick now. But as the thought of the entire Fire Nation looking for her instead of the Avatar sunk in, he realized that it'd attract the same amount of attention to their little group as before. If word got out that she was with, and helping, the Avatar, she'd be labeled a traitor to her nation and become a wanted criminal. Then the entire world would be looking for them since wanted criminals of the Fire Nation tend to have a nice reward. Still, Sokka admired the fact that she had that kind of bravery.

"You're well protected, trust me," he began trying to reassure her. "It's nothing new around here that the Fire Nation's on our case."

He noticed then that she hadn't opened her eyes the entire time she'd been talking to him and he wondered if she was just sleep talking. He decided no, since she was making too much sense out of everything, but then again, she was a princess…(_No, no, she's awake…_)

"Thanks, but," Azula was cut off for a moment as she coughed a couple times. "But I feel terrible that I just brought the whole world on you when Aang's still…"

"Still what?"

"Still…you know, hurt."

"What are you talking about? He's fine."

"That might not always be the case. One day he may never be better, but the next day, he couldn't be worse." She explained, finally opening her eyes and sitting up, "That's long term, if not, permanent damage, and no matter how strong he seems, it won't last forever. With the luck we have, we'll get ambushed on a day where he can hardly move if he can even move at all."

"If that happens, we'll find a way." He dropped her hand to touch her shoulder. "We always have before, and no one's died yet. Heck, up until…uh, you know…no one had been injured like that."

"Some luck," she said with a hint of guilt in her voice. "But when one bad thing happens, it's all down hill from there."

"That's not true,"

"Then prove it." Azula hadn't quite finished 'it' when a cold wind blew and her body shivered. "Sokka, could you get me that blanket, please?"

Sokka gave it some thought as he reached over and grabbed the blanket. When he draped it over her shoulders, he had it. He wrapped his arms around her; ready to explain about Katara's lessons on keeping the cold warm if she asked, only to find she leaned against him willingly, waiting for him to prove a point.

"After Aang was, you know…injured, you came around." He explained, thinking she might take that in the wrong direction, "He has someone to teach him firebending now, and we stand a chance against the Fire Lord." He stopped again, then added, "I guess, without you, there could never be peace."

The words touched Azula's heart, and tears welled up in her eyes. As she let her tired eyes drift shut, a few tears falling, she softly whispered, "Point taken."

Eventually, the two fell asleep. Azula, despite her sickness, slept well in Sokka's arms. Sokka was a little uncomfortable, but he would have to live; Azula was more important at the moment.

...O...

"Hey, Sokka," Katara said that morning to him wake up. "How's Azula? Was she alright last night?"

By then, he was awake and alert enough of his surroundings and replied quite tiredly, "She was fine last night."

"Did she wake up at all, or anything?"

"No."

"Then why are you…?"

He realized she was referring to why Azula was wrapped tightly in his arms, and fast asleep. He sighed, "You didn't want her to get cold, did you?"

"No I-wait a minute! Since when do you care?"

"Shh…" Sokka moved carefully to put a finger to his lips, "She's asleep."

* * *

**A/N: I have two more that go along with this, that are finished, and three more following them. I'm considering whether or not I should add them.**


	2. Apart

_**Apart**_

* * *

It was one of those days. One of those days where nothing could be done and nothing was really worth doing. Aang was having a hard time moving, so no training, and Azula still wasn't at the top of her game quite yet, so Katara was on her back every five minutes asking her 'are you alright' and, 'are you sure?' Sokka liked these days, it was a time to finally relax and rest after long weeks of fighting and moving place to place. It was great. 

Azula and Aang were talking with each other, which was a nice change from the fighting and hatred that had been there only a few months ago. Katara was working on their next meal; Toph was just enjoying the nice weather and lying on her back in the sun, and Sokka was plainly watching it all happen.

"There's someone there!" Toph announced, bolting up. "And there." She pointed to the bushes. "And there, too!" This time, she pointed at a tree.

They all dropped what they were doing and grouped together, ready to fight if need be. Just as Azula had Aang on his feet, something flashed pink from above.

"Ty Lee…" Azula started, but didn't finish before the pink took quick jabs at her and she could no longer move, or stand.

"Sorry, Azula," The pink finally stopped moving to stand over her. It was, in fact, Ty Lee. She smiled before going for another member of the group.

Toph was a step ahead, though, and snapped the ground under Ty Lee backward. The acrobat tripped and hit the ground, hard.

A fiery wall came from the brush and Katara jumped with a wall of water, extinguishing the flames. Not far behind the fire, Prince Zuko. Katara was ready to fight him, but he didn't appear to be in the mood to fight the waterbender. When he was close enough, he shoved her aside to where Ty Lee was now standing again, in perfect position to knock the girl motionless.

Toph and Sokka, not seeing much of the scene behind them, were busy keeping Mai (who'd made her own dramatic entrance with flying daggers) away from Aang. Walls of earth and rock stopped arrows and various knives from reaching the injured Avatar, and Sokka with his trusty boomerang had Mai working double time to not get hit with a sharp weapon herself. After a look of desperation in another direction from Mai, a wave of fire turned Toph on Zuko.

Next thing they knew, Sokka was pinned to a tree, Toph had been burned in the shoulder, and Aang had been cut of the little ability he had that day. As they were being dragged away from their campsite, Sokka remembered something Azula had said: _With the luck we have, we'll get ambushed on a day he can hardly move…_

She had been SO right.

...O...

"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it…" Azula was repeating that night in their prison cell on Zuko's ship.

"What did you know?" Toph asked, becoming annoyed with the constant repeating of the saying.

"I knew something like this would happen!" She added, "I feel so awful!"

"Why? We get attacked and ambushed all the time." Katara seemed the calmest of the three, considering their situation.

"I brought all of this on you guys! I injured Aang, disappeared from the Earth King's palace; it's my fault they showed up like that!"

"Azula, they would've showed up anyway."

"I left my brother in command. Zuko doesn't always have good judgment. I wouldn't have gone after you until our father said something about it." She let her eyes fall to the floor.

"Okay, maybe you're right, but it's no use now. We're here, how do we get out?" Katara looked to the princess, probably thinking Azula knew the ship better than herself.

"No use, either." Azula explained, "The ship's made entirely of metal, nothing breaks through these walls."

"I can bend metal, if that helps," Toph added in.

"We're also bound."

This was true. The girls had been bound tightly at their wrists and ankles. The metal cuffs were sharp and were cutting into them, making their stay more painful and miserable.

"Well…" Katara looked to Toph, the burn on her shoulder in particular. "Toph, doesn't that hurt?"

"No, Katara, it feels wonderful!" she replied sarcastically. "It hurts like nothing's ever hurt before! But there's nothing we can do, is there?"

The other two girls glanced at the chains binding their wrists, keeping them from helping. Tears filled Azula's eyes for all the trouble she blamed herself for.

O..Meanwhile…in the next cell over..O

Aang lay on his back, staring at the ceiling while Sokka sat up, staring at the wall. They could no longer hear the girls fighting or yelling, and it was at last quiet.

"Feeling better?" Sokka asked, attempting conversation.

"I wish," Aang said. "Isn't there a way to get rid of days like this?"

"The Fire Nation capturing us, well, you know. Your back hurting like no tomorrow, over time I suppose it'll get better."

"I don't have time."

"Yeah, I know. At least you have someone teaching you firebending, though."

"Yeah, I guess."

Sokka smiled at the strange irony of it all, that Azula was his teacher. As soon as the name rung in his head though, he started worrying about her.

"I hope Azula's okay," Sokka nearly whispered.

"What?"

"Azula still has a little bit of a fever. I hope she's okay."

"Oh, yeah."

Silence.

O..Back in the girls' cell..O

Azula sat in silence like the others, thinking about Sokka. It eased her mind, making the headache she'd developed less painful. She didn't know why, but she was worried about him. She wondered where he was, if he was okay, if he was worried about her. She remembered a couple nights ago, when he held her in his arms and said all those nice and reassuring things. He made her feel so good when she was freezing cold, burning hot, and extremely tired and dizzy, all at once. He seemed to have been taking the fear away when he did that.

"Azula, are you okay?" Katara spoke, looking up from the floor.

"Hun? Oh, I'm fine. My headache's just bothering me, that's all."

"Sure you're okay?"

"I have to live with it, there's nothing we can do."

"You could…"

An iron door opened with a squeak and slammed shut.

"…Lie down," she finished.

Footsteps sounded in the halls and stopped at their cell. Keys turned the lock and the door slowly opened, letting in the light of the flickering torches in the hall. A long shadow followed.

"What have you been up to, sister?" Zuko asked menacingly as he walked up to his younger sister. "Nothing good, I'm sure."

"Actually, I've been doing a lot of good," she answered, making her voice as calm as she could. "What have you been doing lately?"

"Oh, you know." He knelt down next to her and whispered really softly, "Why did you leave?"

"I was tired of hurting people!" Azula yelled, snapping from her act and despite her migraine. "There's this thing called guilt, it makes most people feel really bad about themselves after they've done something wrong."

"Wait until Father hears about this." He paused. "Want me to tell him, or shall I let you?"

"Who said he was going to find out?"

"I'll let you tell him." He said, putting his hand under her chin and turning her to face him, "One more thing, would you be interested in an Agni Kai tomorrow morning?"

"No thank you, I've been sick lately and I don't think it's…"

"Great," he cut her off and moved his hand to her shoulder. "Tomorrow morning it is, I'll be back then." Her brother's last words turned cruel and felt like ice as he pushed her to the floor. The soot and dust filled her lungs and she started coughing.

"Zuko, you're insane!" Katara snapped. "Can't you see she's sick? I know you're insensitive and cruel, but she's your sister! Your younger sister!"

"That never seemed to stop her."

"You are one lucky idiot," she hissed. "If I could bend, I'd drive ice through…"

"Yeah, but you can't bend." Zuko got up and started to leave. No one said a word as the door slammed and his footsteps faded into nothingness.

"Azula, are you okay?" Katara finally asked, concern hinting her voice.

The princess was still on her side on the cold floor, coughing. Katara crawled over as best she could and sat next to the poor girl, unable to help. When Azula appeared to be a little better, she spoke, "Is there anything I _can_ do?"

"Can you get Sokka?" Azula didn't know what she was saying, but didn't really care. She needed to hear his voice right then. Tears filled her soft, golden eyes and streaked down her face.

"I can try." Katara smiled sympathetically and tapped on the wall behind her, hoping her brother was right there. "Sokka? Aang? Anyone?"

"Katara?" Aang's voice came through weakly.

"Hey, Aang. Feeling better?"

"Worse."

"I wish I could help." She quickly changed the subject though, and said, "Could you get Sokka? I need to ask him something."

There was a long pause, but finally:

"Yeah, Katara?"

"Azula wants you." She looked to the princess, breathing heavily on the floor. "Only I don't think she'll be able to move, but she really wants you."

"What's wrong?"

"Zuko wants her to fight him tomorrow and she…"

"Shouldn't," he finished her. "Is she alright?"

"She's kind of sick again."

"Tell her something for me, then."

"What?"

Sokka gave it some thought. He could picture Azula coughing, and tears sliding down her cheeks. He could also picture her curled up in his arms, half asleep, eyes closed, softly breathing, and listening to him try to reassure her everything would be okay. Only, he couldn't do that this time.

"Tell her…" He sighed. "Tell her she'll be alright and I won't let Zuko lay a hand on her."

"You can't promise that, though."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…Katara, please."

"Alright…"

When Katara told Azula what Sokka had said, she missed him even more. She continued to cry as she said (mainly to herself), "I miss you."

Katara wasn't sure she wanted her to tell Sokka that, but decided it was best that she tell him anyway. It felt a little weird to her, saying that Azula missed him and all, but she felt better knowing that she'd done something to help the sick princess.

Sokka, on the other hand, was glad he heard it. He missed her too.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, I do not own Avatar or the characters...tear.**

**A/N: After Thanksgiving, I promise the thrid one.**


	3. Together

_**Together**_

* * *

Morning came way too early for Azula; and the prince, who happened to be her brother, showed up as expected with a few guards. The guards kicked her awake and dragged her onto the ship's deck, the morning sunshine blinding her for a few moments.

Azula was positive she couldn't fight. The world seemed to be spinning around her and her body almost completely refused to support her. Fear filled her eyes at losing to her brother, not because she was better than him, but because he wouldn't let her go until he'd physically (and severely) hurt her.

…**O…**

Sokka didn't sleep that night. He was too worried about Azula and was thinking of ways to keep his promise. But when the doors opened, Sokka knew he'd failed to keep that promise. He looked to Aang, painfully asleep, and reached over to tap the boy's shoulder.

"I'm awake," the Avatar said dully. "What do you want?"

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"No," he answered. "Did Katara assign you to ask me that every five minutes since she couldn't? Is THAT what she wanted last night?"

"No, it's not."

"What did she want, anyway?"

"Nothing important."

"It must've been important since she asked specifically for you."

"It was nothing."

"Okay then…"

A few seconds of silence passed and there was the sound of bending metal. Sokka looked up to see the large, gaping hole in the cell wall, with Toph and Katara standing in it.

"And Azula said nothing breaks through these walls." Toph smiled, reaching across herself to hold her burned shoulder.

"Toph can break the shackles and the walls," Katara explained. "We're getting out of here."

Toph quickly set to work at snapping the shackles' chains in half and soon, Sokka and Aang were free.

"Now we've got to get Azula," Sokka said, determined, standing up.

"Wait just one second, Sokka," Katara held up a hand as she knelt down next to Aang. "Aang and Toph are still hurt."

"Then I'll go alone."

"Have you ever been burned by an angry teenage firebending prince?" Toph asked.

"No…"

"Do you want to?"

"Not really."

"Then stay here."

"But Azula…"

"Actually, Sokka's right, for once," Katara broke in. "Azula can't fight, and Zuko won't hold back on her. Sokka, go ahead, just try not to get hurt."

"Thanks, Katara."

**...O…**

A guard unlocked the shackles on Azula's wrists and ankles, but she could hardly tell the difference. Her head was spinning so badly, and her vision was a complete blur, she was just as helpless without the shackles as she was with them.

Zuko didn't seem to care, though. He took a fighting stance, ready to hurt her. After a couple moments, she hadn't moved, so he stood and walked over to her. "What's wrong, sister? You love to fight." His words were filled with hatred and vengeance.

"Zuko, please," she begged, tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't."

"Oh, but why? As far as I'm concerned, you're a traitor. Don't you think traitors deserve this?" He raised a hand, and Azula looked away.

"Get away from her," Sokka demanded.

Zuko looked over and there stood the Water Tribe boy, all set to throw his boomerang. He laughed for a second; the boy _did_ look pretty stupid. "Why should I?"

Sokka chucked the boomerang, and missed the firebender by inches. He looked confused for a second before it came back and hit him hard in the shoulder, knocking him to the ground.

"That's why," he said before rushing up to Azula. "Are you okay?"

"Sokka, I'm scared," she whispered, her entire body shaking with fear.

"It's okay," he whispered back. "I've got it."

By now, Zuko was standing again, holding Sokka's boomerang. He was tapping one end in his hand, appearing pretty angry with him. "Now how are you going to fight?"

A wave crashed over the side of the ship, powerful enough to knock Zuko back over, and soak him. Sokka whipped around to see his sister, in the end stance for the wave. She ran at the prince, using the water on the deck to push him closer and closer to the edge and farther and farther from Azula.

Sokka wrapped his arms around her and held her against him. She eventually calmed down and quit shaking, leaning into him. He watched his sister corner Zuko at the bow of the ship, telling the princess she would be all right.

"Sokka, Azula, come here!" Katara called.

Azula looked up at Sokka with worry in her golden eyes. Sokka shrugged and led the girl over, holding one hand and keeping his other on her back.

"Azula, this is your fight," Katara said, holding her stance and not taking her eyes off the cornered Zuko. "Would you do the honors?"

Azula nodded. She smiled, stepped forward, leaving Sokka's arms, and placed a hand on her brother's chest. With the last of her strength, she shoved him overboard.

…**O…**

Sokka was carrying Azula bridal-style since they were positive she wasn't strong enough to walk back to their campsite. She was half asleep, but speaking and responding every so often.

They'd just started up again after stopping for a moment at a pond to heal Toph's shoulder. Now she and Katara were holding Aang up as they walked back. They would've called Appa, but Aang hadn't grabbed the bison whistle when he got up the day they were captured.

"Sokka, thanks for saving me," Azula murmured with closed eyes, breaking the current silence.

"I didn't really do a lot compared to Katara," he looked down at her. "You should thank her."

"Katara did do a lot, you're right, and I really appreciate what she did, but when you showed up…" she sighed. "I was sure Zuko was about to hit me."

"Well, in that case, I'm glad I was there."

It was silent the rest of the way, and dark by the time they got there. Azula was completely asleep by this point, so Sokka gently laid her down on her blankets, covering her with one.

"Coming to bed, Sokka?" his sister asked, having made sure Aang was okay for the night.

"In a minute," he replied.

He never actually did go to bed, though. He lay down next to Azula and watched the stars. After a little while, he found her hand and held it in his.

* * *

**A/N: As promised! The fourth has to be proofread yet, but it's written.**

**A/N: I also do not own Avatar, these characters, and so on.**


	4. Truth

_**Truth**_

* * *

Truth be told, Azula missed her home. The Fire Nation, no matter what the people did, was a gorgeous corner of the world, and compared to how she was living now, a lot healthier. She wasn't regretting what she'd done, no, she'd never do that; helping Aang was basically saving the world from eternal darkness. It was just a little…aggravating…sometimes. Katara had a tendency to be moody beyond compare (even to Zuko), and Toph, though she handled her blindness well, _loved_ her nicknaming ability a little _too _much.

Sokka and Aang didn't bother her at all. Aang was a fast learner and a great student, and he always forgave Azula when she apologized for having killed him. And Sokka…he could distract her from anything just simply walking by. She'd been well for nearly two weeks, and he still asked her if she was feeling okay at least three times a day. Sometimes four, but that was only once and it was a cold morning.

Today, he'd only had the chance to ask her twice, but she could understand. They were clearing their camp and packing up to start their way to the Fire Nation; Azula couldn't wait. Ever since the plan to leave was pitched, she always found time in the day to describe the glorious Capital City. Sadly, but some-what not, only Sokka and Aang would listen; Toph didn't care too much ("I'm sure it's wonderful, Princess, I'll remember to look twice..."), and Katara always had something 'better to do.' At least someone listened…someone being two of course. Or three, if you counted Momo.

"Azula," Sokka broke through her thoughts, trying to get her attention so he could take her bag, "What's bothering you?"

Snapping back to reality, she answered with a, "nothing, Sokka," and slid the strap off her shoulder.

"Seriously," he said, taking the bag and handing it up to Aang, "Something's bothering you. You've zoned out three times today."

"Oh…it's just this whole Fire Nation thing."

"Are you afraid to go back?"

"A little bit, I suppose."

"They'll arrest you if you're found, won't they?"

"Yes, and I'll be tried for treason, convicted, and thrown in prison."

"And you're only a little afraid?"

"Maybe more than a little…"

He laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Azula," Aang chipped in from Appa's back, "If you're caught, so am I. At least you won't be lonely."

Azula smiled, and was about to answer, when Katara threw the last bag at Sokka. "Come on, we don't have all day!" she snapped.

Having had the wind knocked out of him, Sokka let Azula take the bag and pass it up to Aang. "Katara, I'm not a wall," he said when he could breathe, "You can't throw things at me."

"We have to get moving if we ever wanna make it to the Fire Nation in time," she said with an attitude, pulling herself up onto Appa.

"Katara, relax, the eclipse isn't for weeks yet," Sokka climbed on next, holding his hand out to Azula.

She took it gratefully and added, "Besides, it's not that long a trip."

"Whatever." Katara turned to the earth-tent that was still standing. "Toph!" she yelled, "We're leaving!"

"I got it, Katara," Aang put a hand on her shoulder and slammed the rock back into the ground. "Good morning, Toph!"

Azula smiled and half-laughed. Sokka placed an arm around her shoulders and asked for his third time of the day, "Feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Sokka."

Flying at night never struck Sokka as safe, ever since Azula chased them across the region anyway, but tonight he felt out of harm's way. The small princess lay against him, half asleep, and he held her tight as he did Appa's reins, trying to stay awake.

"Sokka," her tired voice forced his eyes away from the sky before him, "Do you really think the Fire Nation is a good place to go?"

"Of course it is," he tried reassuring her, "Where else would we find the Fire Lord?"

She smiled, but the pretty smile quickly faded and she continued, "What if Aang or I get caught, though?"

"Well…" Sokka thought about it for a while. "It won't happen," he at last explained, "The Fire Nation's the last place they'd expect to find you, right? If Aang keeps his arrow covered, we'll be good. Don't worry about it, Azula, no one will find us."

"But Zuko…he knows me, and Aang. All of us."

"And he'll be in the Capital, won't he?" he added, "Just don't worry. Get some rest, it's late."

"Thanks, Sokka," she whispered, letting her gold eyes drift shut. "You never let me down."

_Oh, yes, I have,_ Sokka thought. He didn't mention anything, though, and gently brushed a hand over her silky hair.

They stopped to rest poor Appa outside a small village that morning. Katara, who had gotten the best sleep in weeks apparently, volunteered to go get supplies and drag a tired Aang and Toph along with her (_"I said we're going!"_), leaving Azula and Sokka alone. All night, Azula's words had slowly gotten to him, and he couldn't take it anymore. He had to confess.

"I'm sorry, Azula," Sokka said to the fire.

Azula looked up; she'd been poking at the fire with a long stick, probably out of boredom. "What for?"

"Well…last night you said that I'd never let you down, and…I kinda have."

"Okay, I'm lost."

"I promised I wouldn't let Zuko lay a hand on you, but I didn't keep that."

"Sokka…"

"I don't know what I was thinking, promising that. I _knew_ I couldn't prevent that idiot from touching you."

"Sokka…"

"Now I feel so bad about it. I mean, loyalty must mean so much to you…"

"Sokka!" the princess finally got her voice over his and he stopped. "Sokka, I know what you were thinking." A small, soft smile spread across her lips, "You were thinking with your heart, not your head. And you did keep your promise."

"I did?"

She glanced back to the fire and stabbed a log in the middle, forcing the flames up higher. "Zuko has guards; they grabbed me, not him."

"Oh…right. I knew that."

"Thanks again, by the way."

Silence followed for a second and Sokka perked up. "Wait, they _what_?"

"You've never been handled by prison guards, have you?" Azula half-laughed.

"It's on my to-do list." He sighed, "Are you serious, though?"

"How should I know? I was half-blind and half-awake with a spinning head; all I remember is Zuko yelling and you guys saving me."

This made Sokka laugh and completely forget all about prison guards. Azula, satisfied that she no longer had to talk about something like that, joined in laughing. When Katara and company came back some half-hour later, they were sitting in happy silence and leaning against one another.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, the ending's not so great, but I had to stop before this became a novel. I have the next one being read-over...somewhere.**


	5. Lies

Lies

_**Lies**_

"All lies," Katara said for the thousandth time that night. She was completely alone with Aang, for Azula and Sokka had disappeared, and Toph had long since left the young Avatar to listen to Katara's complaints.

"Katara, are you sure?" Aang asked hesitantly. "Ever since she showed up, she's been nothing but helpful. She's apologized so many times, I lost count weeks ago, and she's even teaching me firebending. How can she be lying?"

"She is, I can feel it."

"Oh, yeah, the girl who was sick because she was worried her brother was going to kill her for being a traitor is lying. That's so predictable, Katara." It was late, the fire was dying, and Katara hadn't stopped her claims of Azula acting as their friend when she was really just trying to get information; Aang was tired of it. "Even _you_ were concerned about that deal. But the next morning you had changed your mind."

"Everything was a lie, I'm positive."

"Does this have anything to do with Sokka?"

"Of course not! She's just the cheating, lying, cold-hearted princess she's always been!"

"Fine, go with that if it makes you happy. I'm tired, good night, Katara."

…**O…**

"Sokka," Azula began as she skipped a stone across the stream, "Does Katara seem different to you lately?"

"No," he answered, "Why? Do you think so?"

"I guess. She's just been a little hostile to me ever since we decided to head back home."

"Home?"

"I mean the Fire Nation," she corrected herself, "Sorry, I'm more homesick than I thought."

"Define homesick."

"I just…I'm not trying to double cross or anything. Oh, no, I'm done with that. I grew up there, you know?" she sighed, "Ever since I left the Fire Nation, I wanted to go back. I don't care if I'm in the palace or even just the capital; I just want to be back somewhere I know. I feel like an outsider here."

"I _have_ noticed Katara, now that I think of it," he carefully placed an arm around her shoulders, "She can't be helping too much."

"No."

"I wish I could say, 'I know how you feel,' but I don't. I guess when Katara and I left the South Pole I was homesick for a little while, but not anymore."

"The wish part was enough," she whispered.

…**O…**

"Sokka, where have you been?" Katara snapped as he and Azula walked back into camp, long past midnight. "I've been waiting for hours."

"Relax, Appa's not moving for a while," he answered her.

"Where have you been?"

"Down the stream a little way."

"And what have you been up to?"

"Oh, just shut up!" Azula broke in, realizing that it was the wrong thing to say _after_ she said it.

"_What_ did you just say to me?"

"Obviously you're deaf, speaking when it's clear I told you to shut your mouth."

"Uh…Azula, is this really…"

"Wow, I saved your life, and all you have to say to me is 'shut up'?" Katara folded her arms, "How about a direct 'thank you'?"

"Katara, I really don't think…"

"Maybe you'd deserve it if you kept your nose where it belonged."

"And just where is that?"

"Out of everyone's lives!"

"Girls…"

"So I'm not allowed to worry about my brother?"

"Not when it's invasive!"

"Sorry I care about Sokka's well-being!"

"Oh, yes, and I don't?"

"You really don't seem to care about anyone, so does that power matter to you?"

"I don't care!" Azula held back falling into a fighting stance; Katara's comment burned like the Fire Nation summer. "Maybe if you got off your bison a little more often, you'd see that I care a lot!"

"So now _I_ don't care?" Katara slid her foot back and brought her arms up.

"I never said you didn't care," Azula slipped down as well, remembering that the waterbender had done it first. "I simply said that I did."

"Seriously, girls, do we really have to…"

"How do you care? What have you done that proves you care?!"

"I'm teaching Aang firebending, I help with every day chores, I've made camp fires, read maps, set up camp, tear down, pack up and unpack," she rolled off, saving her idea of the best for last, "And _I've_ been buying all our supplies for the past couple days, considering _I'm_ the only one still allowed in the towns! I could easily leave you to fend for yourself, but no, I don't. Believe me, if I didn't care, you'd know."

Katara was taken aback completely without an answer. She pushed water from the stream behind Azula up into a wave and over the unsuspecting princess. It crashed down and drenched the poor girl. Azula began to literally steam and threw a swirl of blazing, blue fire at the waterbender.

_This can't get much worse…_ Sokka thought, stepping out of the way from Katara's perfected water whip that doused the flames.

"Heartless witch!" Katara yelled, pushing a wall of water toward Azula.

"Prissy peasant!" Azula fired back, evaporating the water in a blaze of flame and breaking out a fiery whip.

Katara brought her own water whip and put out the fire, saying, "At least I'm not double crossing my friends!"

Azula didn't return the comment. Instead she pulled back her hand with a shocked look and let Katara push her already soaking body to the ground with one more wall. Sokka looked from one girl to the other, Azula lying in the mud, coughing from the water, to Katara standing in her idea of victory; Azula, Katara, Azula…Katara; best friend, sister, best friend…sister.

"What in the world is going on out here?" Toph asked, slamming the wall down on her earth-tent and sitting up, "I'm trying to sleep!"

"I think you mean what _was_ going on," Aang said with a yawn, stepping around the side of Appa.

Sokka was still debating of which girl to run to when he glanced at Aang making his way to Katara. He silently thanked the Avatar as he ran to Azula's side. She held herself up with one hand, coughing into the other. The princess didn't appear hurt outside a bruise or two, but she was soaked completely and shivered violently any time she wasn't coughing.

"Azula," he offered gently, laying a hand on her wet shoulder, "Do you want a blanket?"

"Yes," she whispered between coughs.

"I'll be right back then, okay?"

She nodded and coughed twice.

Sokka quickly got up and jogged to Appa. He half-listened to Aang and Toph try and get Katara to calm down while he dug through several bags, searching for a thick blanket. They weren't having too much luck. After a few minutes, he found what he was looking for and went back to Azula, who had stopped coughing and was now breathing heavily through sobs. Carefully, Sokka draped the warm blanket on her shaking shoulders and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"Are you alright?" he asked, tucking dripping hair behind her ears.

"How could she say something like that?" she softly cried, "I would never do that to you guys."

"I know," he told her, "I know. It'll be okay."

She continued to cry and shiver from the cold of the stream water. "I didn't have to leave. I wanted to make things right. This war…it made me the monster my mother saw. It caused her suffering, Zuko's suffering, my own suffering…and Aang's suffering."

"It caused Katara suffering too," Sokka hugged her a little tighter. "You and Zuko…you remind her off that suffering. She may never get used to you being around."

"I caused Aang so much pain, and he lets me teach him the things I used to hurt him. Katara hasn't come to even accept me."

"She fears for everyone, it's her nature. There's no way you'll be able to prove your innocence to her, she'll have to figure it out on her own," he smiled, "Or maybe she's just upset that I treat you like I do."

It didn't make Azula smile like Sokka had hoped, and he figured continuing would be a bad idea. For a little while, he held her tight and let her cry, more concerned about keeping her warm than anything.

"Sokka," Aang's voice said gently and he glanced up. "It's warmer around the fire."

"Thanks, Aang, just a second." Sokka nodded and Aang left. He watched the Avatar go to join Toph, but no Katara. _She must've gone to bed, or something,_ Sokka thought. "Azula," he whispered, "Azula, I think we should sit by the fire. Katara's gone and it's warmer."

She gave a faint, sob-filled, "yes" and he helped her stand. Keeping an arm around her, Sokka led her over to the fire, where Aang had another blanket.

"Sugar Queen doesn't warm up to anyone well," Toph said blankly to the fire, "She's not much of a people-person if you ask me."

"Katara likes people exactly like her, or very close to it," Sokka pointed out.

"Someone she can relate to," Aang added, "Of course, it probably doesn't help that she thinks you're still, and I quote, 'a cheating, lying, cold-hearted princess'."

"Aang…" Sokka said when Azula hugged him till he could hardly breathe.

"Yeah, Sokka?"

"Not. Helping."

"Oh…sorry."

"Azula," Sokka tried loosening her arms a little, "It's okay; Katara probably thinks what she does because you're excited to be going to the Fire Nation. I don't think she understands, is all."

"Really? I think she's more upset that you, being her brother and all, and Azula, are so close and you're always protecting her and spending time with her and what-not," Toph broke in. "She's too motherly for it to be anything else. The whole double-crossing speech is just her excuse."

"That's not possible."

"Actually, Sokka, I think it is." Aang explained, "She didn't start acting this way until we got back from being imprisoned in Zuko's ship, and you carried her back, and stayed by her side until she was better. We didn't decide anything about the Fire Nation until after all that."

"That's when you two started disappearing from the campsite until midnight, isn't it?" Toph asked.

"Maybe…" Sokka found himself thinking they were right. "But how do we fix Katara's attitude?"

"Like that's gonna work!" Toph laughed. "She'll either get used to you, or she won't!"

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"What you're doing right now seems to be working," Aang cocked his head towards Azula.

Sokka looked down at the princess, who had stopped crying and simply lay in his arms, listening without comment to the conversation.

"Azula, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, Sokka," she answered tiredly, "I'll be fine. Thanks."

**A/N: I do not own Avatar, even though that would be totally awesome.**

**A/N: Weird fact about this story: I actually started writing this one before I began writing the previous story: Truth. I went back and wrote Truth when I realized it would be totally random for Katara to be all of a sudden really moody (or, you know, angry moody as opposed to normal teenage girl moodiness).**


	6. The End

_**The End**_

**A/N: Ha! It's been a while, but I finally have it! YAZ!**

**Disclaimer: Cheers! I don't own Avatar and this is the last time I have to write this for a while!!!**

* * *

"Isn't it gorgeous?" she asked.

It'd taken a while, but they finally came upon the Fire Nation shore. They'd hidden Appa, it was late, and they were camping in a cave next to the water. Azula had dragged Sokka back outside, though, and since she was so happy to be 'home,' he didn't protest for too long. After all, the others were asleep…

"It's certainly different from ice and snow," Sokka replied, "And cliffs, mountains, any other place we've been…"

"Sokka, I love this place," she snapped.

"I know," he said, "But it doesn't strike me as 'gorgeous'."

"Really? Then what does?"

It was silent for a second while Sokka thought it over. "Well, you do."

The princess felt herself blush immensely and she looked away, "What else?"

"Oh, nothing, I suppose," he took her hand and added, "Gorgeous just doesn't seem like a word to use lightly."

Whether Sokka noticed it or not, Azula felt so red, she was almost white. She stayed silent for a minute, watching the ocean water lightly crash against the shore.

"Azula, are you okay?"

"I…I'm fine. It's just that you've done so much for me, and you say all these nice things and…"

Sokka touched her cheek while she spoke, gently turning her towards him. She could hardly notice, so wrapped up in her thoughts and words, but as his lips touched her's; all spoken word was lost. Her eyes drifted shut and she practically melted. Azula placed her arms around Sokka, trying to keep her balance on the warm sand. He did the same to her, pulling her a little bit closer.

Azula gently broke away from the kiss and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Sokka," she whispered, "For everything."

"You mean everything so far," he corrected her, holding her tight.

"Yes, everything so far," she smiled, "and everything to come."

"I love you, Azula," he told her softly.

"I love you more," she answered.

Sokka, with a smile, pushed her to face him, "How do you plan to prove that?"

"I don't," Azula giggled, "More just seemed like a better word than too."

"That's why I love you," he laughed.

That night, they slept together on the sandy beach. Azula wrapped in Sokka's arms, her hand on his back, and the other on his chest. Until they fell asleep, Sokka ran a couple fingers through her soft hair, letting her drift off first. The princess was cuddled up so close, he could feel her breathing, and felt his own breath fall into rhythm with her's.

As a new day dawned, Azula woke first to the gentle waves and dim sunlight. She didn't dare wake Sokka, it was the least she could do after all he'd done for her. Besides, Azula liked the quiet Fire Nation sunrise; she'd get plenty of chances to share it with Sokka.

* * *

**A/N: And they all lived Happily Ever After! The End. Oh, yes, for the person who hates anything with a predictable ending, how foreseeable was this? But still, it's done and I don't have to worry about it anymore. Yaz.**


End file.
